Is Repatha a statin?

"This is my go-to medication when a statin doesn’t work for the patient...While I typically prescribe Repatha with a statin, there are some patients—around 9%—that cannot tolerate statins because they have muscle side effects. Repatha works quite well and is one of the most effective cholesterol-reducing medications."

'Weekend warriors' have a lower risk of death from heart disease, cancer

"The findings that this pattern can offer similar mortality benefits to more evenly distributed exercise, particularly for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, were encouraging"

How to protect heart health at menopause: 3 experts advise

"There can also be increased inflammation which has been associated with increased atherosclerotic plaque, especially unstable plaque. Autonomic changes in menopause can lead to an increase in heart rate and lower heart rate variability"

Sitting more than 10 hours a day may increase heart failure, death risk

"The medical literature has been clear that low level of activity and sedentary behavior is adversely associated with metabolic and cardiovascular health. However, there may have been a sentiment or a belief that a sedentary lifestyle can be counteracted with performing the guideline recommended amounts of exercise... Unfortunately, this appears to be only partly true."

EBGLYSS for eczema: What to know about the newly FDA-approved drug from Eli Lilly

"In addition to causing itching, these cytokines... small proteins that play key roles in regulating the activity of immune cells — signal a cell’s nucleus to create more cytokines like themselves, resulting in spiraling inflammation, and thus more itching and more cytokines."

The Best Time of Day To Take Your Blood Pressure Meds To Lower Your Heart Attack Risk, According to Cardiologists

"Blood pressure has natural swings throughout the day, and this varies for different patients... Knowing when to take your medication may offer a tailored approach to your blood pressure control."

Drinking high amounts of caffeine 5 days a week may increase heart disease risk

"(With) coffee … there’s just so many unknown variables. We had not that long ago a study that showed that four cups of coffee a day or more was associated with longer survival. I feel like we keep on dragging on coffee. It’s either great, terrible or somewhere in between — it’s probably somewhere in between."

A popular low calorie sweetener may raise the risk of blood clotting

"I think it goes back to all the other sugar substitutes that have been invented over the years that have had their own issues...So you do ask yourself whether just actually using sugar is better — just limiting the amount."

This Monthly Injection Helped Lower "Bad" Cholesterol by 50%

"PCSK9 inhibitors improve the ability of your liver to take up cholesterol particles from the blood and process them...The result is a significant reduction in cholesterol levels."

Plant-based ultra-processed foods may raise heart disease and mortality risk

"Studies like these remind us that when encouraging patients to avoid animal products high in saturated fat and seek more plant-based options, [we should] also bring up the importance of seeking whole foods and avoid processed packaged foods even if plant-based"

Low testosterone can affect heart health and increase mortality risk, study finds

"Unless this is clarified in future research, it is uncertain whether low testosterone causes cardiovascular disease and it would be unwise and potentially dangerous to assume that treatment of low testosterone with hormone replacement will reduce heart disease."

​High blood pressure during middle age could increase dementia risk

"Hypertension has previously been shown to be a risk factor for dementia [and] the study nicely shows that with more risk factors, which they calculated with the CAIDE score, there was a higher risk of dementia, even in middle-aged folks."

Wegovy Can Help Reduce Heart Failure Symptoms Even When People Don't Lose as Much Weight

"We have known for many years that structured exercise improves heart failure outcomes...So it doesn’t surprise me that this medication, with its impact on weight loss, can contribute to a reduction in heart failure symptoms."

A new study says drinking alcohol raises heart disease risk — especially for women

"Overall, alcohol can raise blood pressure, which is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, and it may also trigger an inflammatory response...Women in general also seem more sensitive to cardiovascular risk factors"

How sitting affects the health of older adults and what they can do to become more active

'The study highlights that every little bit helps...Although this study focused on older, overweight individuals, I think the premise can be applied across the board.'

Measurable microplastics in 60% of studied plaques

"“We just make so much plastic in our environment and to see it degrade and get to a microscopic level and be unable to be further broken down — it’s everywhere...[and] we’re only just starting to scratch the surface as to how that’s going to affect our health certainly from a cardiovascular standpoint."

Acting on key lifestyle factors could reduce atrial fibrillation risk

"The underlying risk factors that increase the likelihood of poor [AFib]-related outcomes can be different between every patient. For example, having a conversation that targets alcohol intake reduction and cessation in a patient for whom this is the primary trigger is different than someone who is sedentary, where starting an exercise program may be the conversation during the visit."

Dangerous vitamin: Niacin's link to vascular inflammation. What cardiologists need to know.

"We've already had problems with niacin, but to see that one of its by-products might be causing cardiovascular harm – I find this to be a really important finding."

Even 2,500 daily steps can help lower heart failure risk in older women

"I think women get discouraged trying to stay active for a long enough time or trying to get to 10,000 steps...Any steps are better than none"

What’s the Connection Between Multiple Sclerosis and Atherosclerosis?

"Keep in mind you may have no symptoms at all, nor any of these risk factors, but you might still develop atherosclerosis"

What Is Homocysteine?

“Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood,” says Jennifer Wong, M.D., a board-certified cardiologist and medical director of noninvasive cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA.

Only 35% of people eligible for statins use them, study shows. How do you know if you should be on them

"levels of cholesterol in the blood can damage your arteries, raising the risk of heart attack or stroke"

What Is a Silent Heart Attack?

“We define a silent heart attack as a heart attack that someone didn’t recognize they had,” explains Jennifer Wong, M.D., a board-certified cardiologist and medical director of noninvasive cardiology at Memorial Care Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA.

Can Sleep Apnea Cause High Cholesterol?

"One reason obesity is closely linked with sleep apnea is because of structural changes to your airflow that may occur due to excess weight"

These Experimental Treatments Helped Lower Cholesterol for 6 Months to a Year

“the length of time that these therapies work is longer than any treatment currently on the market. And in the case of the CRISPR [gene-editing] study, it’s potentially lifelong, which is extremely meaningful"

High Blood Pressure at 18 Puts You at Higher Risk for Heart Attack at Midlife

“It makes sense that blood pressure levels at relatively young ages affect our cardiovascular outcomes later in life"

Blood pressure is higher and more difficult to manage in winter, study shows

"If it’s cold outside, you become vasoconstrictive, so the arteries tighten up and the blood pressure goes higher. If you feel hot, then the blood vessels dilate and you get vasodilation that can cool the body down...”

Head-to-Head Study of Common Statins Looks at Effectiveness and Diabetes Risk

"these two statins are equally effective at reducing the risk of future [heart-related] events, at least over the short term..."

What Could Be Causing the Pain Under Your Left Breast

"The pain [of Pericarditis] is more typical with certain positions...It can be quite painful."

Simple Aerobic Exercise Can Significantly Reduce Your Risk of AFib and Stroke

"Interestingly, there is a significant body of literature showing paradoxically increased risk of developing AFib by participating in endurance exercise."

First oral drug for genetic bad cholesterol lowers levels by over 50% in clinical trial

"Some studies have suggested that [Lp(a)] can be attributed to a two to three-times higher risk for heart disease in certain patients at a high Lp(a), so I do think it’s a very important lab test that we should be doing frequently."

Heart disease: Experimental drug may slow atherosclerosis inflammation

"Initially, there is plaque buildup in the artery, which causes irritation and then inflammation....The researchers hope the drug saracatinib can stop the process, which will stop the inflammation"

Vitamin D supplements may benefit heart health, research finds

“ [cardiovascular health] did not demonstrate a significant benefit of vitamin D supplementation, even if there was a trend toward one.”

Vegetarian, Vegan Diets May Lower Your Cholesterol 

"[Eliminating that [Saturated fat] dietary source will naturally reduce dietary cholesterol]. [though] It often goes beyond that"

Statin alternative? Bempedoic acid can help reduce cardiovascular risk

"If someone has a history of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular disease, and they find statins are not working, they should talk with their doctor about additions or alternatives, such as ezetimibe or bempedoic acid"
 

High Triglycerides: What to Know | Time 

“With food and drinks like breads, rice, pasta, and soda, these get converted in your liver to fat, and triglycerides are often affected by that. That’s why, when you’re getting blood work done to determine your cholesterol and triglyceride levels, it’s recommended to be in a fasted state, because carb-rich foods can affect the numbers quite a bit.”

Taking statins for atrial fibrillation may lower stroke risk

Dr. Warrier noted that “these data add more support to use statins in AFib patients to decrease risk of stroke and TIA [transient ischemic attack] events which can be one of the most catastrophic outcomes associated with AFib.”

Is the Sweetener Erythritol Safe? Study Links It to Blood Clots and Heart Attack

“We have seen in repeated studies that sugar substitutes have side effects that go beyond simply imitating the taste of sugar,” he says.

Study Links Keto-Like Diet to Higher Risk of Heart Attacks and Cardiovascular Disease

Keto diets have been studied as a means for weight loss for their fat-burning capacity, he adds. “A lot of controversy has been that multiple studies have shown that high-fat, low-carb diets have generally worse outcomes from a cardiovascular standpoint than high-carb, low-fat diets that are plant-based. This study adds to that data.”

Irregular sleeping habits may increase atherosclerosis risk

“The authors suggested that disturbance in sleep regularity promotes cardiovascular disease by disturbing the natural circadian rhythm of the body, thereby affecting inflammation, glucose metabolism and sympathetic neurohormal response. All of these factors are known to cause cardiovascular disease.”

Cardiovascular disease: Poor mental health linked to higher risk among young adults

Dr. Ni described “broken-heart syndrome” as a condition that occurs after severe trauma, often before enough time for unhealthy behaviors to take their toll. Most broken-heart patients can be successfully treated.

Artificial sweetener associated with heart attack and stroke risk in high-risk patients

To find out for sure,  he recommends that researchers continue to examine the effects of erythritol in larger studies. As for guidance for patients, Dr. Ni suggests physicians drive home the importance of natural, whole foods that don’t rely on artificial sweeteners for a sugary kick.

Irregular Sleeping Habits May Increase Risk of Atherosclerosis in Older Adults

“It has been well established that sleep apnea is strongly linked to the development of cardiovascular disease and stroke,” said Dr. Hoang Nguyen, an interventional cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in California.

What to Know if Your Doctor Put You on Statins to Lower Cholesterol

“High cholesterol is only one factor in the development of heart disease,” he says. “Others—like smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes—play a role as well.”

5-minute walks every 30 minutes may help counter effects of too much sitting

“Physical activity improves blood sugar levels and can reduce the risk for diabetes,” Dr. Ni said. “Since diabetes is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, any effort to prevent diabetes will ultimately lead to less risk of heart disease.”

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Risk During Sports Low in Older Adults

"After pro football player Damar Hamlin's SCA on national TV earlier this month, "this has been a hot topic of discussion in a lot of my recent patient encounters. As a practice, we have a fair amount of patients that fit [the study] profile, with an overall healthier lifestyle and very low cardiovascular comorbidities. As a result, this study will have a significant impact in addressing this topic with them."

Why Women May Actually Have a Higher Risk of Developing AFib

“In AFib, the atria, or upper chambers of the heart, beat in an extremely disorganized way (sometimes up to 300 to 600 beats per minute). This leads to an increased risk of stroke and congestive heart failure,” Warrier explained to Healthline.

Study: HDL Cholesterol May Not Be That Good at Reducing Your Risk of Heart Disease

Dr. Ni says that the study is “useful” for understanding cardiovascular risk in different patients, but stresses that “treating the whole picture is often more beneficial.”

Loneliness is linked to heart disease in older women: What caregivers should know

“In general, our emotional and mental health is closely bound to our physical health,” says Dr. Sarah Elsayed. "The COVID-19 pandemic for example, has shown us an increase in patients diagnosed with hypertension, palpitations and shortness of breath."

What it’s like living with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, aka POTS

...Since this is a comparatively newer diagnosis versus “cardiac conditions such as hypertension and coronary artery disease,” providers often misunderstand it. says Hoang Nguyen, MD.

4 Ways Getting the Flu Can Impact Your Heart Health, According to Doctors

Inflammation from the flu can cause plaques, cholesterol, fatty substances, waste products, and calcium, in the wall of your arteries to rupture, leading to blockages and heart attacks, Dr. Wong says.

When to Worry About Heart Palpitations and See a Doctor According to Cardiologist

Nikhil Warrier, MD, cardiac electrophysiologist and medical director of electrophysiology at Memorial Care Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center, tells what are heart palpitations? | Heart palpitations symptoms | Heart palpitations causes | Heart palpitations triggers | When to worry about heart palpitations | When to see a doctor | Heart palpitations treatment and prevention

Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy to miss 4-6 weeks with ankle injury, while Graham Glasgow deals with irregular heartbeat issue, source says

“(It’s) the most common irregular heartbeat in athletes,” Warrier said. “With A-Fib, palpitations is the most common symptom. The other symptom could be fatigue or exhaustion and not be able to perform at the level he’s used to performing it.”

If You Have This Blood Type, You May Be at Risk for Heart Disease

"A study showed that people with type A or B blood were 51% more likely to develop blood clots in the veins and 47% more likely to develop blood clots in the lungs," says Leann Poston. "Specifically, type A blood puts you at 6% higher risk of heart disease; Type B with a 15% higher risk; and Type AB puts one at 23% higher risk," says Hoang P Nguyen, MemorialCare.

High Stress May Double Risk of Second Heart Attack in Younger Survivors

“These findings are similar to prior studies with older adults. However, this is an observational study and thus does not prove causation,” she says. 

Doctor: Dr. Jennifer Wong, M.D.

7 Heart-Healthy Nutrition Swaps

Coronary artery disease is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries of the heart in a process called atherosclerosis, which can start in one’s teens and 20s,” says Jennifer Wong, M.D.

Normal Blood Pressure By Age: Blood Pressure Chart

People with a blood pressure range of 90 to 120 systolic and 60 to 80 diastolic have normal blood pressure, says Dr. Wong. A systolic reading below 90 signifies low blood pressure.

'Normal' Blood Pressure Threshold May Differ Between Men and Women

[Dr. Wong] points out that studies are needed to look into the effects of treating women at a lower blood pressure threshold before this would become common practice.

US Task Force Proposes New Low-Dose Aspirin Guidelines to Prevent Heart Attack or Stroke—Here's What to Know

But Dr. Patel urges people not to take the potential risks lightly that are associated with having a daily aspirin. "Even though this is an over-the-counter medication, it can cause serious side effects," he says. "The longer you take it, the more risk that you will have these side effects."

Best Advice for a Healthier Heart? We Asked Top Cardiologists

"Exercise is a linchpin that can cause a cascade of beneficial changes in the body that is essential for heart health; it is so important for improving metabolism, increasing lean muscle mass, losing weight, lowering blood pressure, and managing blood glucose levels."

What are the side effects of atorvastatin for older adults?

"Muscle side effects can occur with as few as one or two doses...Muscle aches are typically temporary, and I generally find that it takes about two to four weeks for the body to adjust to it."

How Long Does a Heart Attack Last? Cardiologists Explain

"If you think you are having a heart attack, the most important thing to do is to call 911 and get to the emergency room as soon as possible."

What's More Important for Heart Health: Lowering Dietary Cholesterol or Saturated Fat?

"Cholesterol is an essential nutrient for the body. It contributes to the structure of the cells of our body and can also be modified to make hormones such as estrogen and testosterone."

4 daily servings of cruciferous vegetables may help lower blood pressure

"This is a fascinating study because it illustrates that by simply eating higher amounts of a natural whole food, it might be possible to make significant changes to our biology and improve our blood pressure."

High Cholesterol Can Be Genetic—Here’s How To Know if That’s the Case for You

"Having a very high cholesterol can indicate a genetic predisposition for heart disease. In that case, your risk for heart disease is increased 20-fold"

More Evidence Links Artificial Sweetener Erythritol to Blood Clots

"However, all 10 patients who had erythritol had an increase in these platelet activity factors...I personally am not using erythritol anymore"

Diabetes-related health complications can lower life expectancy

"There [are] many different conditions that diabetes affects.. So the findings of the study are not surprising to me. It more just highlights how significant long-standing exposure to diabetes can affect your health in so many different ways."

Feeling consistently lonely may increase stroke risk

"I think the key point is that it’s not just loneliness that likely contributes to the risk of stroke. It’s a combination of factors. The fact that you’re lonely most likely means that you’re less able to care for yourself."

A Startling New Study Found That 75% of Past COVID Patients May Suffer From This Heart Condition

"It is noted that many patients developed at least low-level heart injury, as measured by troponin levels, and that cardiovascular symptoms took longer than other symptoms to recover from"

Why Women are Less Likely to be Prescribed Cholesterol Medications Such as Statins

"I have noticed that most patients with statin intolerance are women...This might explain less ongoing treatment with statins, but it wouldn’t explain the disparity in initial prescriptions for them.

Scientists find that AFib may be more common in younger people than thought

"Age, structural heart disease (prior MI, heart failure or valvular heart disease), hypertension, obesity, excessive caffeine/alcohol intake, stress from lifestyle/surgeries/infection, thyroid disease, sleep apnea are some of the risk factors for the development of AFib. Focusing on identifying and modifying any of these risk factors can lead to decreased risk of development of AFib. They are also a core pillar in our treatment of AFib in patients who already have AFib."

A certain type of gut bacteria may help lower heart disease risk

"We coexist with trillions of organisms on our skin and in our intestinal and genitourinary tract. These organisms play a critical role in our ability to fight off external pathogens, in the metabolism of food, and in the health of our immune system. Specifically, this study shows that there are bacterial strains that may affect cholesterol exposure in the intestinal tract."

Heavy drinking may significantly raise heart disease risk, especially for females

"If drinking, we recommend no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women..."

Could intermittent fasting lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular death? Recent research suggests so, while some experts are wary of the findings

"I suspect that many patients in this study who were eating [for fewer] than 8 hours per day were doing so not because they were trying to lose weight. I suspect that they had a problem of some kind that they only ate for that long"

Niacin flush: Causes, treatment, and prevention

"it is especially pronounced in warm temperatures or when exercising, and that he has had several patients faint in the shower while taking niacin due to low blood pressure."

Just 3,600 Steps a Day Can Benefit Heart Health in Older Women

"It allows us to back up what we say about the importance of physical activity, even in relatively low levels"

How High Blood Pressure Can Raise Your Risk of Heart Disease, Death

"Ironically, blood pressure readings in the physician’s office are often inaccurate; falsely elevated due to the stress of being in the physician’s office or the stress of getting there,” he explained"

Condition Center: Heart Disease

"The most important thing you can do is eat a heart-healthy diet and exercise"

Psst, Did You Know You Can Lower Your Resting Heart Rate with Exercise?

"a systematic review of almost 200 interventional studies shows all types of exercise decreased resting heart rates"

Taking Meds for Both Chest Pain and Erectile Dysfunction Linked to Heart Failure Risk

It could be that the increased risk of negative health outcomes is due to both types of medications causing dilation of the blood vessels, said Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif.

Statins help decrease vein blood clot risk in women taking hormone therapy

"Hormone replacement therapy has long been known to increase the risk of blood clots, which for most people may not be clinically significant, but occasionally will lead to serious consequences"

Many adults eligible for statins for heart disease prevention are not taking them

"Statins are medications that reduce the amount of cholesterol your body makes in the liver. In doing so, our liver responds by taking up cholesterol particles in the blood more readily, resulting in less cholesterol in the blood available to damage arteries and cause a heart attack or stroke"

Portfolio Diet Can Help Lower Cholesterol, Reduce Heart Disease Risk

“The portfolio diet is a specialized dietary pattern aimed at reducing ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke..."

Does a Mediterranean diet really help lower 'bad' cholesterol?

“I think there’s some subtle differences in cholesterol. I just don’t think that it’s going to be just because one study says that maybe there isn’t a difference depending on adherence, I wouldn’t say that you shouldn’t do Mediterranean diet anymore.”

What can lipids tell us about our health and how we age?

“There’s obviously a lot of different kinds of lipids out there that all can influence cardiovascular disease...We know that cholesterol is probably the number one risk factor for cardiovascular disease"

How to Talk to Your Family About Their Heart Health History

"At a minimum, do what you can to find out if anyone in your biological nuclear family—meaning, your parents and siblings by birth—had or has heart issues"

Risk Reduction Program Helps Lower Chance of Heart Attack and Stroke

“If you’re going to intensely manage somebody you want to prevent problems, and therefore it should cost you less over time…I would have expected it to be a lot more than 0.4%.”

How just 3,000 steps a day can improve your cardiovascular health

"People who are sedentary tend to gain weight and we know that fat is generally more inflammatory, leads to more issues with insulin resistance, which can also lead to diabetes and leads to higher blood pressure, a lot of issues related to the weight gain,”

Heart attack: Daily aspirin can help prevent another cardiovascular event

"I agree with the study’s notion of how important aspirin is for people who have had a heart attack. We often assume that something is true based on our observation. This study gives us a clear answer. We now know that aspirin significantly reduces that risk for people at elevated risk of having subsequent heart events."

Before a cardiac arrest, men and women have different symptoms, study finds

“Chest pain is still the most common presentation on both men and women, but women tend to have more of the atypical symptoms such as pain in a different location, shortness of breath, or fatigue.”

Mondays could kill you. Researchers link the day to fatal heart attacks

"It speaks to the stress of the upcoming work week; we know that stress can correlate to challenges [such as] destabilizing plaque in the arteries" 

How to Use an EKG to Detect a Heart Attack

"An EKG guides us in the treatment of these heart rhythm problems, and they can detect when our treatment is effective—or potentially harmful, requiring switching of medication."

Women more likely than men to die after heart attack, study finds

“A potential implication of these studies is to look for heart disease and treat risk factors for heart disease sooner than we currently do in women. Continue to focus on prevention such as diet and exercise which can be especially helpful for preventing and treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, a type of heart failure more women tend to have than men,” she said.

 Beta-blockers: Long-term use may not improve health after heart attack

“In patients with a history of coronary artery disease who are not candidates for bypass surgery or stents, beta blockers are essential to reduce symptoms of angina (chest pain) and hospitalizations for this symptom. But, if they have been re-vascularized (either by stents or bypass surgery) or have normal left ventricle function, I may attempt to wean off beta blockers, especially if they have significant side effects.”

Study Finds Using 3 to 4 Drugs for High Blood Pressure May Be More Effective Than Single Pill

Dr. Sanjiv Patel, an interventional cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., agrees. “The key is multiple medications, but at low doses, because high doses can also cause side effects and problems,” he told Healthline.​

Heart failure: Exercise therapy is safe and helps improve recovery, study finds

“Unlike in clinical trials, patients in real life are less likely to come to exercise sessions, and are not always committed to staying for the entire hour of exercise. Thus, patients who stand to gain the most from supervised exercise programs are those who are motivated to attend,” he said.

Study: Bempedoic Acid Can Lower Cholesterol and Could Replace Statins

“This study shows that, when taken alone, there was a decrease with bempedoic acid. However, the degree of decrease still is not nearly as impressive as with statins.”

Just 11 Minutes of Exercise Each Day Can Add Years to Your Life, Study Finds

“Smoking increases inhaled toxins. It doesn’t matter if it’s cigarettes or marijuana—you’re consuming those toxins and they’re getting into the airways, getting into blood vessels, and damaging [those] blood vessels,” he said.

Can regular coffee consumption help lower blood pressure?

“Those drinking 2 cups of coffee had 5-point lower blood pressure on average than those who didn’t drink coffee. The effect was higher for those drinking more than 3 cups of coffee, with a 9-point lower blood pressure on average compared to those who didn’t drink coffee. This trend towards lower blood pressure with more coffee consumption persisted for different types of blood pressure measurements, including an estimate of a more reliable blood pressure measurement called central blood pressure."

Stroke Remains a Leading Cause of Death and Disability—Here are the Signs

." Sudden onset of nausea or vomiting- this can happen due to a large stroke from a blocked artery in the brain or bleeding in the brain.

How Asthma and Heart Disease Are Connected—and What to Do About It

“Asthma causes an inflammatory process in the airways, and inflammation is a known exacerbator of cardiovascular disease,” explains Jennifer Wong, M.D.

Hypertension: Can regular coffee consumption help lower blood pressure?
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“Those drinking 2 cups of coffee had 5-point lower blood pressure on average than those who didn’t drink coffee. The effect was higher for those drinking more than 3 cups of coffee, with a 9-point lower blood pressure on average compared to those who didn’t drink coffee. 

Cardiac Arrest Risk Low for Active Seniors During Sports

Warrier agrees that the overall benefits of sports activity likely outweigh the low risk of sudden cardiac arrest. That said, "always talk with your provider if you experience any symptoms during physical activity, as part of an assessment of your individual risk for sports-related sudden cardiac arrest," he cautions. 

How a $50 Blood Pressure Monitor Could Help Save Thousands in Medical Bills

Well, if you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension, you obviously need to check it, preferably every day. That’s a good way for your doctor to know if your blood pressure medications are working. 

Heart Health: How Yoga Combined with Regular Exercise Can Benefit You

“This trial is an important addition to evidence supporting mind-body therapies for controlling hypertension,”

Heat Waves Might Increase Heart Attack Risk for People on These Medications

“These changes can be adapted to and may help healthy individuals bring down their internal body core temperatures,” Wong told Verywell. “But a person with heart disease may have less reserve to tolerate these hemodynamic changes, leading to cardiovascular complications like heart attacks.”

Feeling More Swollen Than Usual? Here's Everything You Need to Know About Water Retention

Another common disease, liver failure—which affects some 4.5 million Americans, reports the CDC—can also cause swelling or water retention when "the liver [fails] to produce vital protein such as albumin," says Dr. Nguyen.

9 Daily Habits That Support Heart Health

"[D]iseases happen due to previous conditions that add up to a heart attack or a stroke, and are not typically due to random events," says Dr. Yang. “By being active, in general, you can burn more calories, lose weight, get muscle tone, feel better in your mind,” says Sanjiv Patel, MD

The 7 Best Blood Pressure Monitors to Use at Home

The most common reason you might have to check your blood pressure at home is that some people experience "white coat syndrome," where their blood pressure is significantly higher in the doctor's office than it is at home, says Hoang Nguyen, MD.

New Study Finds Eating Fat Might Actually Lower Your Risk of Stroke—It Just Has to Be This Kind

Vegetables have more monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, which can lower your levels of LDL cholesterol and raise the amount of HDL (good) cholesterol in your body, Dr. Wong says. As a result, it can decrease your stroke risk.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure: Study breaks down risk by gender and age

“I think for younger patients, it could be an element of noncompliance: not going to doctors, not taking medications — […] especially young men," Wong stated. Moreover, Dr. Wong said, young patients often do not tolerate beta-blockers, a common blood pressure-lowering medication.

Some cell phones and smartwatches may disrupt pacemakers and defibrillators

Dr. Warrier recalled a January 2021 letter to Heart Rhythm, describing “a potential interaction between defibrillators and the iPhone 12, where the iPhone 12 is close by, to disable therapies.”

Yes, Politics Can Cause Your Heart to Skip a Beat

Nikhil Warrier, MD, cardiac electrophysiologist and medical director of electrophysiology at Memorial Care Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center, tells Verywell that previous research does support this relationship between stress and cardiovascular issues. 

Simple Surgery Reduces Stroke Risk in People with Heart Arrhythmia

Dr. Nikhil Warrier, the medical director of electrophysiology at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, said the procedure “is an attractive option for closure or litigation in patients who are at high risk for stroke and not ideal candidates for long-term blood thinners.”

Moderna Reveals Slightly Higher Rates of Myocarditis in Young People Who Received Its COVID-19 Vaccine

“This is a very small percentage of [a specific group of] people who are reported to have this,” Dr. Wong says. It’s also important to take the risk-benefit ratio into account. The benefits of getting vaccinated so far outweigh the possibility of this rare condition, she says, if a cause-and-effect relationship is confirmed at all.

Moderately high blood pressure: Exercise should be first-line treatment

“We encourage [people],” said Dr. Wong, “to make small changes — small increases in physical activity like walking down that hallway instead of calling up your colleague.”

How Much Red Meat Should You Really Eat Each Week?

“Red meat consumption has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease as well as cancer and Type 2 diabetes,” says Jennifer Wong, MD

Berritt Haynes, Teen Contestant on The Voice, Says He Has 'Sudden Death Disease'—Here's What That Is

 "You may see stories of young athletes who collapse on the court or field and die—some of them have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy." Dr. Nguyen says that not everyone who has the condition will die suddenly. But, he adds, "the risk is there."

Are eggs good or bad for cholesterol? Outdated misconceptions seem to persist

"I think without a study like that, I’m not willing to make any conclusions about whether egg consumption is good or bad for you all...I would recommend no more than seven eggs in a week...[and] that’s not going to change based on this study."

Mediterranean diet may lower risk of heart diseases, diabetes

"An easy and clear way that people can take to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or type 2 diabetes is nicely summarized as the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Life’s Essential 8."

Eliminating This One Food From Your Diet Can Lower Your Cholesterol and Blood Pressure, According to Cardiologists

"Interestingly, there is debate as to whether higher levels of dietary cholesterol do associate with higher rates of heart disease, even though there is a strong relationship between blood levels of cholesterol and heart disease."

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh has had this heart issue before, but what are next steps?

"From a concerning standpoint, any time people have these types of rhythms their heart rates kind of spike up...They can be sitting around doing nothing and all of a sudden their heart rates go up to 130, 140, 150 beats per minute and that’s unusual for anyone."

Older adults over age 70 should consider taking statins, study finds

"This is not really surprising...We’ve known for a very long time that statins prevent heart disease. They’re especially effective for patients who already have heart disease to prevent a recurrent event"

Why Your First Year After Discontinuing a Statin Can Be Deadly

"Statins help prevent heart disease... If you stop taking statins, your risk for heart disease will go up"

These Are the Leading Causes of Death in the U.S. Right Now

"I talk to my patients about this [enacting health behaviors all of the time" 

Diet with low amounts of extra virgin olive oil may be best for the heart

"Studies like these that look at both plant-based diet and the amount of oil — whether it’s monounsaturated healthy oils like olive oil or saturated fat — really help highlight the immediate metabolic effects that we see when people are randomized to healthier options"

Drinking coffee may help lower death risk from being sedentary

"But when you’re looking at associations, it’s hard to know whether the coffee is the reason for why the reduction in heart disease is occurring or if there’s some other factor that that person that’s drinking coffee is doing that reduces their cardiovascular mortality. So that’s probably the most important takeaway from this."

How does extreme exercise affect lifespan? Study offers new insight

“I think it reiterates the importance of exercise, maybe not necessarily this extreme level of exercise, but just any exercise being helpful for one’s cardiovascular health and ultimately, hopefully extending one’s life that way.”

Vaping, even once, may raise the risk of heart failure, study finds

"E-cigarettes have been known to have nicotine as well and cigarette smoking has been known to increase the risk of heart failure, so it makes sense that we might see this with e-cigarettes."

Heart Failure, Not Stroke, Is Most Common Complication of AFib, Study Finds

"The prevalence of [AFib] is increasing as a function of our population aging as age remains an independent risk factor for the development of [AFib.] Emerging studies also point to the fact that social determinants of health are drivers of cardiovascular disease"

E-Cigarettes Can Increase Heart Failure Risk by 19%

"With studies like this where they made observations about people who are e-cigarette users and the development of heart failure, we can never know for certain what the relationship is between those two things"

Eating 12 Eggs a Week Didn’t Raise Cholesterol Levels, New Study Finds

"We don’t commonly see clinical trials in the nutrition space...there are enough issues with this study that it’s hard to make strong conclusions about whether eggs are healthy or not."

New study suggests even the heart struggles to escape microplastics, posing risks for cardiovascular disease

"I'm very concerned that there's such a high prevalence of microplastics in cholesterol plaque, and I'm concerned that we don't really know what it does to the body."

These Common Drinks Linked to Heart Condition, Study Finds

"If you have occasional fluttering, that definitely warrants a call to your doctor but you don’t need to rush to the emergency room...But if you feel bad, dizzy, and sick, you should go to the ER."

Artificially sweetened diet drinks linked to atrial fibrillation risk

"The most common symptom related to AFib is fatigue...Patients also complain of palpitations or rapid or irregular heartbeat. Shortness of breath can manifest with rapid heart rates or congestive failure, which could also be related to A-fib."

Most People Have No Idea What Their Blood Pressure or Cholesterol Levels Are, Survey Finds

"Adhering to a heart-healthy diet and doing regular exercise can lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risk"

What Women Should Know About Cardiovascular Tests

"You could be doing everything right but still have high blood pressure or high cholesterol"

Any activity is better for your heart health than sitting – even sleeping

"Muscles are also an important consumer of blood sugar and physical activity improves blood sugar levels and can reduce the risk for diabetes...diabetes is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, any effort to prevent diabetes will ultimately lead to less risk of heart disease."

High cholesterol, high blood pressure before age 55 increases the risk of heart disease in later years

"As we age, other factors take over, such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and poor eating habits, and take over the role of genetics...When that happens, we need to modify these things to lower our risk of high cholesterol."

Should You Worry About Heart Failure?

“An unhealthy diet, especially one high in salt and fat, can contribute to heart failure,”

The #1 Way to Unclog Your Arteries Naturally, According to Cardiologists

"Just like diet is to blame for artery-clogging, it's also key to keeping them clear"

Single dose of an experimental drug helped lower blood pressure for 6 months

“Uncontrolled hypertension is a major risk factor for developing atherosclerotic diseases... [and] often it’s such a future event that many patients find it difficult to take medication regularly."

Extreme Temperatures Can Threaten Heart Health

"Understanding the stress of extreme temperatures on the body and taking appropriate safety measures in these situations is crucial"

Taking Your Blood Pressure in This Position May Be More Accurate, Study Finds

“Blood pressure can drop when we sit or stand up, as compared to lying down..."

Nearly Half of Heart Attack and Stroke Survivors Don't Know What 'Bad' Cholesterol Is

“It is important to know your cholesterol numbers and know what is good and what is bad cholesterol..."

Can Leg Pain Be a Sign of a Heart Attack?

"The most important changes are implementing a regular moderate exercise routine and not smoking..."

High blood sugar may raise heart disease risk even if you don’t have diabetes

"as a result, {of deficient insulin response] blood sugar levels increase in the blood. It can cause the lining of the blood vessels to become damaged and so you can have more likelihood for plaque build-up on the lining of the walls of the blood vessels that can then lead to heart disease." 

Heart health: How a produce prescription for fruits, vegetables can help

"Having a produce prescription makes it possible for you to incorporate healthy fruits and vegetables into your diet without having to worry about the potential downsides of the cost of the food."

How to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

“I often recommend the DASH diet, or dietary approaches to stop hypertension. These diets have been well documented to decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease."

Form of 'bad cholesterol' increases risk of heart disease — what to know about lipoprotein(a)

"Lifestyle changes like diet and exercise do not influence Lp(a). However, a healthy lifestyle typically lowers LDL levels, which does reduce your risk of heart disease." 

In-office blood pressure readings may not be as reliable as you think 

“Simply being at a doctor's office can be stressful for the patients. That could drive up their blood pressure,” says Ni. “We also know that going to a doctor is not part of a usual routine for someone—our usual day-to-day experience is far different than that on the days when we go see our physician.”

Aortic stenosis: TAVR procedure more effective than open-heart surgery

“The most significant aspect of this study is that it looked at the low-risk patient for TAVR and its outcome,” Patel told Medical News Today. “The study showed that TAVR was more effective than open-heart surgery with regard to mortality and stroke three years after the new valve implantation. It also demonstrated that TAVR had a higher pacemaker rate than open-heart surgery, which further validated what we clinically already recognize to be true.”

Cholesterol: Plant-based diets may lower risk of stroke, heart attacks

“What was very interesting was the drop in the cholesterol of apoB [apolipoprotein B]. It reflects a tendency towards a reduction in the actual particle counts themselves, which in research has potentially been a more accurate risk factor for predicting cardiovascular risk in some patients,”

Heart failure: Calling patients more often after hospitalization helps people live longer

“We know heart failure is an extremely high-burden disease — it puts a lot of pressure on patients,” he told Medical News Today. “They get in the hospital and there’s a lot of changes that occur when someone is in heart failure that makes them vulnerable to be readmitted to the hospital again.”

Sleeping This Way Could Add 5 Years to Your Life, Study Shows—Experts Weigh In

Dr. Ni reminds us that the American Heart Association recently updated their “simple 7” metrics to measure heart health to add an 8th element of sleep health, “now it’s called the essential 8, because the research has pointed in this direction for so long that sleep health is important for heart health.”

Regular Marijuana Use May Increase Risk of Heart Disease, Study Finds

“Smoking increases inhaled toxins. It doesn’t matter if it’s cigarettes or marijuana—you’re consuming those toxins and they’re getting into the airways, getting into blood vessels, and damaging [those] blood vessels,” he said.

Mediterranean and low-fat diets may be best at lowering risk of death, heart attacks

“I would say that Mediterranean is a little bit more focused on lean protein and the use of olive oil and other vegetable oils in place of animal fats for cooking, and I think that emphasis is more helpful,” said Dr. Ni.

Hypertension: Can moderate dietary salt restriction help improve blood pressure?

“This is not something that people hear much about, but it’s certainly something that is more common than we think. We often get patients on blood pressure medications, and we’re getting their blood pressure under control, and then we’re satisfied,” Dr. Ni said.

A new therapeutic target for the prevention of heart failure due to aortic stenosis

 “Beta-adrenergic activity regulates the sympathetic nervous system. We often actually want to tamp down that activity in order to help to support the heart, so it’s not overly stimulated and is able to function efficiently, requires less oxygen use, and maintains a healthy heart rate, which is generally between 60 and 100 beats per minute.”

Fountain of cardiovascular youth? One gene may help restore heart health

 “This research study suggests that [the] LAV-BPIFB4 gene variant associates with better heart health and longevity, and improved heart health when used as a treatment in heart cells.”

Fountain of cardiovascular youth? One gene may help restore heart health

Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, a cardiologist specializing in noninvasive cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, explained that “this research study suggests that [the] LAV-BPIFB4 gene variant associates with better heart health and longevity, and improved heart health when used as a treatment in heart cells.”

Wake Up Call! Sitting All Day Doubles Your Chance of Death—but a New Study Says a Tiny Amount of This Exercise Can Help

"And, it's important to remember that small changes done over the years can have a lasting impact on health. It may not seem like much to walk for five minutes every hour of desk work, but this can add up over the course of the workday. "

Cardiovascular disease: Walking 6,000+ steps daily may lower risk for older adults

“Steps alone should not be used to gauge how much exercise is enough,” Dr. Ni told MNT.

Cardiovascular Disease: How Walking 6,000 Steps Per Day Can Help Lower Risk

“The greatest incremental benefit appears to be until 8,000 steps, after which the benefits are less pronounced,” he said. “In adults under 60 years old, there was an apparent small benefit to walking around 8,000 steps. However, the benefit was not significant.”

The 6 Smartest Heart Health Questions to Ask Your Doctor

"Please come to the clinic with questions you want to ask," Ni implores. "Your doctor is more than happy to spend the visit telling you what they are concerned about and what you should be doing for your health—but a conversation goes both ways. You should also have the chance to share your concerns too."

Frequent napping may be a sign of higher risks of stroke, high blood pressure

“If you’re one of those people … you should ask yourself, ‘Why is it that I feel the need to nap later in the day? Is there something I can do about the way that I sleep [so that] I have better energy later on so that I won’t have to take a nap?'” Dr. Ni explained.

4 Ways Depression Is Tied to Heart Health

In fact, people with depression are prone to unhealthy eating habits, not getting enough exercise, weight gain, and smoking, says Arvind Nirula, MD.

How Insomnia Affects Your Heart

“If you don’t sleep well, stress hormones can build up and cause inflammation. This can potentially trigger a buildup of plaques, which can become unstable and cause heart attack or stroke,” said Patel.

What Is a Healthy Blood Pressure Reading—And How Can You Keep Yours in a Normal Range?

"Systolic blood pressure is the peak pressure during a heartbeat while the heart is 'squeezing,' and diastolic blood pressure is the lowest pressure between two heartbeats while the heart is 'relaxed,'" notes Jennifer Wong, MD.

Atherosclerosis present in 42% of adults without heart disease

 “This [study] gives us a lot more ammunition and a lot more certainty that we should be more aggressive in controlling atherosclerosis risk factors [in] patients or even the general population."

Moderate drinking may be safe for people with cardiovascular disease

The study does not suggest that people with CVD who do not already drink start doing so. Interventional cardiologist Dr. Hoang Nguyen — who was not involved in the study — told MNT:

9 Natural Ways to Strengthen Your Heart Valves

Stress raises blood pressure, which can tax your heart valves and prevent them from closing tightly, says Dr. Wong. One free and easy way to lower your overall anxiety is meditation.

Everything You Need to Know About Atrial Fibrillation

In addition to palpitations or rapid and irregular heart beat, a common symptom related to AFib is fatigue, notes Nikhil Warrier, M.D., a cardiac electrophysiologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.

Isometric resistance training can safely lower blood pressure

Said Dr. Wong: “I would feel comfortable recommending the handgrip exercise, especially given that most of the trials they looked at here were using hand exercises, and very few adverse effects seem to have been seen in these trials. I might even recommend it with additional aerobic exercise.”

Understanding Your Blood Pressure: What Do Your Diastolic and Systolic Values Actually Measure?

Some key lifestyle modifications to make to prevent or reduce this condition, says Dr. Wong, include limiting salt intake to 2.3 grams of sodium per day, adding in a potassium supplement (unless contraindicated by kidney disease), losing weight, getting in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for 40 minutes three to four times per week, and reducing the number of alcoholic beverages you drink per week.

New Guidelines for Adults 60 and Older Taking Aspirin for Heart Disease Prevention

But, it is acceptable to take aspirin on occasion for other reasons, such as pain relief, assuming it doesn’t interact with other medications, says Dr. Patel. Taking aspirin in the short-term is not going to hurt you, but long-term everyday use is what’s concerning, he says.